Bath MNs - What is oldfield park like?

[kalo12]

Are there any good primary schools, is it a nice area?

Would of course prefer Bathwick or widcombe but its out of my price range I think.

[kalo12]

bump

[kalo12]

bumping for the evening

[retiredgoth2]

....Oldfield Park is ok-ish. It is, however, a very studenty area.

As far as schools go, you are ok if you look at those towards the Bear Flat direction, and less so if you look towards Twerton.

Widcombe is indeed ££££ (the Aga shop is there. Tells a story...) have you investigated Larkhall, or Fairfield Park? The prices should be comparable (certainly in Fairfield Park) and the schooling is fine...

[kalo12]

thanks retired goth. will look at those others. where do you live?

[retiredgoth2]

...sadly, not in Bath! Though many of my friends do...

I live in an outer Bristol dormitory suburb, but only a 15 minute drive from the Roman City so I shop there by preference, and would dearly love to move there but cannot afford it....



...had I the cash, I would move to Poets' Corner, in Bear Flat. Sadly, a four bed Edwardian terrace there will cost around £400k, so not a goer....

[kalo12]

what street is poets corner ? i have tired to find that before. I am thinking of getting a two bed garden flat but won't have more than about 180. is this poss?

[retiredgoth2]

...Poets Corner is a group of streets named after, er, poets.



...I don't think you will find a 2 bed garden flat there at all, to be honest. And not for 180....

How about this?

Combe Down is nice, good schools too. There are quite a few in Fairfield Park as well. They are a bit modern and dull looking, but it is a perfectly nice place to live...

[kalo12]

i'm deluded aren't I ?

i want to be near widcombe infants and ralph allen secondary. I need a money making scheme or new husband don't I?
Rats!

[retiredgoth2]

Combe Down would do for Ralph Allen....

...possibly Odd Down too. But check, else you could end up with culverhay....

Renting might give you more option. There is plenty about...

[ilovemydogandmrobama]

This is North Somerset Mornington Crescent!

can I play?

Keynsham

[lifeinchaos]

If I were living over in that direction I'd probably look on the other side of the river around by Victoria Park or out towards Newbridge or Weston. Lots of local amenities and primary schools and families. There aren't so many flats, mainly houses but you will find some.

[retiredgoth2]

Mornington Crescent, eh?

Mmm.

I see your Keynsham, and will use the faux stockbroker-belt approach...

Saltford

[ilovemydogandmrobama]

Ooooh! >

Twerton

[retiredgoth2]

The Whiteway shimmy eh? Tricksy....

Nothing for it. Got to play it hard...

Kelston

[ilovemydogandmrobama]

Interesting move. Good skill

Lansdown

[MrsFlittersnoop]

Ooh retiredgoth2 - I grew up near Bear Flat, and we will be moving back to my family home about 5 minutes away from Poets corner to live with my mum later this summer .

BTW, is Culverhay really as bad as it seems these days? My DB went there about 30 years ago and it was abysmal then. Unfortunately, we've discovered it is the only school that has any vacancies for my 12 year old DS when we move, so we are thinking of going down the private school route, or fighting to get into Beechen Cliff on appeal. It is a complete nightmare . I'd REALLY REALLY appreciate your input on this!

Kalo12, many apologies for the thread hijack . If you are going to be on the south side of the river then I second Combe Down, but you would need to choose which bit IYSWIM. Please keep us updated on your move - we may be well end up neighbours! Best of luck!

[MrsFlittersnoop]

Don't know WTF happened to the emoticons in my post . That will teach me not to preview messages .

Southdown

[MrsFlittersnoop]

Hang on, I can see them now [confused technofuckwit emoticon].

[retiredgoth2]

...I don't know anyone who sends a child to Culverhay, but I am assured that it really is pretty bad. Certainly the exam results are pretty dire. I would think that a Beechen Cliff appeal should have some weight if you are living in or near Poets' Corner. I mean Beechen Cliff is right there!

....ah. Back to Mornington Crescent



...perhaps confused by ILMD's flattery, I will plump for Upton Cheyney

[MrsFlittersnoop]

Thanks RG. I suppose the fact that the school is at the bottom of the league tables for the entire county tells it's own tale!

Re. Beechen Cliff School - unfortunately proximity doesn't count for appeal purposes. The appeal is assessed on need. I don't really want DS to go to another all-boys school TBH ( I have posted elsewhere about him being bullied at his current school) and would prefer Ralph Allen, so we will have to see. Have been trying fruitlessly to contact the LEA for days for an admissions form but no-one answers the phone or responds to my messages.......

Right - Newton St Loe

[kalo12]

mrs F - i do indeed hope we are neighbours but i fear only if i was to be your maid.

i am the main breadwinnner but when we move i won't be working as we are ttc

i'm hoping the recession will continue for a while and house prices will fall to my price range

[MrsFlittersnoop]

I'm with you on the recession front/house price drop kalo12!

We will be living on my mother's charity (not easy in your 40's) and I will be probably looking for a cleaning job for myself . We are moving because we live in horribly expensive rented accommodation in London, DH is self employed and his clients are all in trouble due to the recession so we have no guaranteed income for the foreesable future. And mum is 80 and can't manage on her own anymore.

My mum is trying to release equity from her house to pay for 3 years school fees in case we can't find a reasonable state school for DS.

Still, living in Bath is lovely . There are quite a few 2 bed houses and flats in your price range on Rightmove in areas such as Oldfield Park and Combe down, and also Larkhall and Fairfield Park on the north side of the city.

My DB and I attended Moorlands Junior school on the Moorfields estate just next to Bear Flat, up the hill from Oldfield Park. It's in a beautiful location and seems to be doing OK in the league tables. Oldfield park is an OK area with good local shops and transport - even got it's own train station. Lots of students but that isn't necessarily a problem, most of them are quite posh! .

[kalo12]

we are living in over priced rented accomadation in london too! i grew up in Bath, went to bathwick primary and lived on Daniel street.

unfortunately I married beneath me and so can't afford to live in that area now. my family moved north and made the worst housing mistake selling a lovely georgian townhouse for 13k in the late seventies only to see the same house up for sale at a million ££ this year!

i am detemined to claw myself back there but am a teacher and want to have another baby before i get too old so not great earning potential.

its really tough. hope its a rollover tomorrow!

[MrsFlittersnoop]

OMG - a fellow Bath Onion!

I apologise for telling Granny how to suck eggs then, you are obviously already familiar with the respective merits of different areas.

My parents bought their house for £15K in the early 70's and mum is still living there. She can't sell it after a year on the market because it needs shed-loads (scary scary amounts) of money spending on it. But we're used to wearing 6 jumpers and 12 pairs of socks each when we visit, and the house probably won't fall down for a few years yet, even if the lights flicker and the roof leaks.

Fingers crossed for the rollover!

[MamaMuesli]

Think moorlands and newbridge primary are ok, but only from the grapevine, not actual knowledge.